Caffeine Intake in Moderation During Pregnancy Safe for Baby's IQ

Most of the
pregnant women choose to cut out caffeine completely to ensure safety. However,
numerous studies have shown that moderate amounts of caffeine are unlikely to
harm the mother and the unborn baby.

Caffeine Intake in Moderation During Pregnancy Safe for Baby's IQ

Now a new study
indicates that pregnant women drinking or eating moderate amounts of caffeine
should not be worried about their child's intelligence.

‘Moderate amounts of caffeine during pregnancy do not affect the childs intelligence quotient (IQ) and behavior in later childhood.’

The study from
the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital (RINCH), Columbus,
Ohio, shows that taking caffeine in moderate amounts during pregnancy is not linked to a reduced intelligence quotient (IQ) in the child or increased behavioral problems.

"We did not
find evidence of an adverse association between maternal pregnancy caffeine
consumption with child cognition or behavior at 4 or 7 years of age," said
Mark A. Klebanoff, MD, researcher at the Center for Perinatal Research at the
RINCH. Klebanoff is also a faculty member at The Ohio State University College
of Medicine.

Scientists
looked at a marker of caffeine in the blood of 2,197 expectant mothers who
participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, conducted at multiple
locations in the United States in 1959-74.

This was an era
when caffeine intake during pregnancy was more prevalent than today, as there
was little concern about the safety of caffeinated drinks. Therefore, the investigators were able to analyze a broader range of caffeine intake than if a similar research was done today.

They scrutinized
the relation between a chemical known as paraxanthine, caffeine's primary
metabolite, at two points in pregnancy. They compared those levels to the kid's intelligence and behavior at four and seven years of age.

Results of the
comparison showed that there were no consistent patterns of maternal caffeine
ingestion and the development and behavior of those kids at those points in
their lives.

The study was
published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

This study
follows an earlier research regarding caffeine intake during pregnancy
conducted by Dr. Klebanoff and Sarah Keim, principal
investigator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health at the RINCH. It was
published in the Journal Epidemiology, March 2015 edition. The study involved the
same group of women from The Collaborative Perinatal Project. It showed that
increased ingestion of caffeine during pregnancy did not raise the risk of childhood obesity.

Of the children
in the research, about 11% were considered obese at four years and around seven
percent were obese at seven years. However, the investigators found no link
between their mother's caffeine consumption and incidents of obesity.

"Taken as a
whole, we consider our results to be reassuring for pregnant women who consume
moderate amounts of caffeine or the equivalent to 1 or 2 cups of coffee per
day," said Dr. Keim.

Too Much Coffee Unsafe During Pregnancy

Lots of food
items such as chocolate, tea, and coffee contain caffeine. It's also found in soft drinks, energy drinks, and cold and flu remedies. High levels of caffeine
during pregnancy can put both mother and the child at
several health risks. Too much caffeine can cause a miscarriage. Higher caffeine intake can also result in children
having a low birth weight, which can increase the risk of health issues in
later life. A 2002 study demonstrated that women who drank 8 or more coffees
(>800mg) were at an increased risk of early stillbirth.

How Much Caffeine is Safe?

Pregnant women
should not take more than 200mg of caffeine a day.

Experts
recommend that expectant mothers consume no more than 300mg per day. Restrict
the amount of energy drinks you have because they can be high in caffeine. Recommended drinks during pregnancy include decaffeinated tea and coffee, fruit juice or water.

Caffeine is also
added to some cold and flu remedies for its mild stimulant effect. A better
idea is that talk to your healthcare professional before taking cold and flu
remedies during pregnancy. Women should be more careful with caffeine intake
during the first trimester.

Caffeine Content of Some Foods and Drinks

Up to 100mg of caffeine in one mug of instant coffee

140mg in one mug of filter coffee

75mg in one mug of tea

40mg in one can of cola

80mg in one can of energy drink

One 50g bar of plain chocolate: most chocolate bars contain
less than 25mg

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